Together Again
by Austin-Keith
Summary: Misty is reunited with Ash, but is Ash ok?
1. Chapter 1

If Only Tears could bring you back to me…

If Only Love could find a way…

-Midnight Sons, Mewtwo Strikes Back Soundtrack

It was late at night in Cerulean City, and Misty Waterflower was leaning on the railing of the Gym's elegant covered balcony, just outside her room. It was raining at a decent rate, not totally pouring, but yet not just sprinkling either. As she stared up at the beautiful moon, just more than half full, she couldn't help but see Ash Ketchum's face in the sky.

It had been two years since he'd left for Hoenn, and one since he left there for Sinnoh. She missed him dearly, although she had no fear of him being with another girl. He was clearly too dimwitted to accomplish that. She looked back on her final day with him feeling sadness, and above all, regret. She hadn't been able to work up the courage to tell him how she really felt, to tell him how much she loved him.

As she looked out at the night sky, a comet, more commonly referred to as a shooting star, flew across the sky beautifully. Everyone knows that people like to wish on such stars. Misty took a deep breath, inhaled, and said softly "I wish I could be with him again, even if only for a day. Just long enough for me to reveal my true feelings…"

Suddenly, there came a noise from inside the Gym, an unusual one. There was a banging at the glass front door, but not a repeated one. Just one, single, bang. Misty also thought she faintly heard the thud of something hitting the ground afterwards, but she wasn't sure. She turned around and walked briskly through her room, out the door, and into the main auditorium. She walked down the open hallway, descended a flight of stairs, and approached the front door. She wasn't at all prepared for what she saw.

She turned the corner and the doors came into view. Lying on the ground, just outside them, was Ash Ketchum. His clothes were soaked and tattered, his body was a bit scratched up, and he seemed very tired. "Misty..." he managed to say. She rushed to the doors, unlocked them, and threw them open. She fell to her knees and said "Ash, are you OK?" For once in his life, Ash said something smart. "No..." he said.

Misty removed Ash's green backpack and put it on her own back. Then she gently lifted him up to a standing position, and helped him walk to her room. Once inside, she laid him down on her bed, and removed his nearly shredded jacket. His shirt wasn't in much better condition, and his pants wouldn't hold together much longer. Even his boxers were tattered. She searched his bag for some spare clothing, and managed to come up with a white t-shirt and some red plaid spare boxers.

She gently removed his black tee, and started tending to his wounds. "Ash, how'd this happen?" she asked. "Team Rocket... ambushed me… right after a… practice battle… Pikachu… had almost fainted…" he stammered. "So you left your other Pokémon in storage?" Misty asked, receiving a slight nod from Ash. "Where's Pikachu?" Misty asked. Ash slipped off his gloves in response.

Between his right glove and his palm was a flattened Poke ball with a lightning bolt on it. Misty took it and put it in her personal healing machine, which all gym leaders have. She finished cleaning Ash's wounds, and released his newly healed Pikachu from its ball. Although he had been scratched up a little, Ash's face was completely unharmed, and he was quite clean. Misty helped Ash slip on the white tee, and take off what was left of his pants. Then she turned her back and let him put on the red boxers.

It was nearly eleven, so she went ahead and put on her nightgown inside her bathroom. Ash had managed to climb under the covers on his own, but he was still awake when Misty returned from the bathroom. There was only one bed in her room, so Misty had no choice but to climb under the sheets next to Ash.

"So, they beat you up pretty good; how'd you get away from them?" Misty asked. "They hadn't seen me battle… and I managed to get them to believe *cough* that I had no Pokémon with me." Ash replied. "OK, why are you back in Kanto anyways?" Misty asked politely. "I finished the Sinnoh League, and decided to take a break before I went to Isshu." Ash replied.

"Alright. You sound better, but you should get some rest." Misty said. Then she remembered her wish, remembered what had happened two years ago. She wouldn't let it happen again. "Ash, one more thing." Misty said. "What is it Mist?" Ash said, getting some strength back. Misty shed a tear when she heard her old nickname. "Ash, I know I always said I followed you because of my bike, but after the first week or two it just became an excuse to hide the real reason." Misty said.

Curious, Ash asked "What was the real reason then?" "Well, for the first week or two I really did want my bike replaced, but… after that…" Misty started. She sighed, took a deep breath and finished "After that I followed you because… because I love you Ash Ketchum." Ash was quite surprised; he'd just found out that the love of his life loved him back.

"Misty, I… never knew. If I'd known you had feelings for me too… things would have gone differently." Ash said. "Wait… you have feelings for me too?" Misty said. Ash chuckled weakly. "Yes Misty, I do. I love you." Ash said. Misty felt happier than she'd ever been before. She gently grabbed Ash and pulled him close. She embraced him in a hug, and he weakly wrapped his arms around her.

She pulled away a few inches, and stared into Ash's eyes. They too were full of happiness. They both knew what the other was thinking, and closed their eyes as they leaned in. Their lips touched, and they shared their first kiss. They kissed for some time, before Ash's weariness overcame him, and he fell back on his pillow. He frowned, for he knew he had just ruined a romantic moment. Misty smiled at him and said "It's ok Ash; you need to get some rest." He nodded, rolled towards her onto his side, and sank his head into the pillow. "Goodnight Ash." Misty said. "Goodnight Misty." Ash said, and then he drifted off to sleep.

Pikachu hopped up onto the bed and curled up at Ash and Misty's feet. It quickly fell asleep like its master. Misty sat there and watched the boy of her dreams breathe in and out slowly. He never snored, and he always looked peaceful. Tears fell down her face as she brimmed with the joy of finally telling him her feelings, and sharing their first kiss. She laid her head down on her pillow, and prayed, thanking Mew for the wonderful night. Hoping she wasn't dreaming, she closed her eyes, and drifted off to sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

Yeah - I'd always wanna be there,  
Those were the best days of my life!

-Summer of 69' by Bryan Adams

The next morning Misty woke far earlier than Ash, who usually didn't wake until 9:00. Misty awoke at 7:30 and quietly snuck out of her room and into the kitchen. She fried up some bacon, scrambled some eggs, and baked some biscuits. By the time she had it all finished and set up on a tray, it was almost nine. She picked up the tray and carefully made her way back to her room.

Ash awoke slowly, and sat up. All his limbs felt sore, and he felt mild pain when he move them. He turned and looked at the clock, which read 8:59. "Aww man, I slept late, I haven't done that since Hoenn!" Ash said. Just then, Misty walked into the room holding a tray with two plates of food and two glasses full of milk. "Oh Ash, how long have you been awake?" Misty asked. "About a minute, I haven't slept this late in over a year…" he said drowsily.

Misty set the tray down on her bed and said "Well you used to sleep that late every day, I'm used to it." Ash blushed and said "Well I still would have rather woken up a little earlier." "Relax Ash, you got beaten up yesterday, and you went to bed at eleven, it's perfectly normal to sleep this late." Misty said. She sat down across from him on the bed, and the two began to eat breakfast. "Wow Misty, Brock's a great cook, but he's got nothing on this breakfast!" Ash remarked.

Misty blushed and said "I'm glad you like it Ash." They ate a little more, and then Misty broke the silence by offering Ash a deal. "Ash, you need a new outfit. I'll pay for one, but you have to do two things for me." she said. "Name them." Ash said. "One, you have to come with me. I've got an outfit that's a bit ugly but it'll work for now. Two, you have to let me help you choose, you have to look good in your new outfit." Misty said. "Sounds fine to me." Ash replied smiling.

Ash and Misty finished eating breakfast shortly after this, and Misty brought the dishes back to the kitchen. Then she returned upstairs and dressed in the bathroom. "OK, let me get that outfit and we'll go buy you some new clothes." she said to Ash, who was sitting on the bed. She retrieved an old outfit from the dressing rooms, and brought it to Ash. The outfit was ugly indeed, but it might have been at least a little stylish if it weren't colored a vomit green.

"Wow, this outfit is ugly." Ash said. "I warned you. Now let's get going, I don't want to torture you for too long." Misty said. The two left the gym with Pikachu on Ash's shoulder and made a quick beeline for the PokéMart. They arrived after a three minute jog, and quickly made their way to the clothing section.

First they picked him out a pair of black cargo pants. Then they grabbed a soft white long sleeve shirt that wasn't too thick. Next, Misty picked out a long sleeved jacket the same color as Ash's old one from Kanto, with white trim around the bottom, along the zipper, and around the openings of the two hoodie-style front pockets. The zipper on the jacket stopped at the bottom of the one inch tall collar. Lastly, they grabbed a pair of red sneakers, and headed for the fitting rooms.

"Wait, I lost my hat. I need a new one." Ash said. Suddenly, as if on cue, Ash's Pikachu ran up clutching a hat in his mouth. He stood up on his hind legs and presented Ash with the hat saying "Pikapi Pikachu!" which translated means "This hat is perfect for you!" The hat was red with a white front, like his old one, and it had a jet black Poke ball logo on the front. "Ash, your Pikachu never ceases to amaze me, this hat is perfect!" Misty exclaimed. "Thanks Mist, now let's see how this stuff looks on me." Ash said. Misty handed him the clothes and he walked into the fitting room.

A few minutes later, Ash stepped confidently out of the fitting room in what he hoped would become his new outfit. The black cargo pants were just a little baggy, the way he liked them, and the jacket kept him warm for a change. The sneakers fit fine, the shirt was soft and comfy, but the hat… it was just perfect. It fit snugly around his head, tight enough that it wouldn't blow off in the wind, but loose enough that it was comfortable. Plus, it complemented the outfit extremely well.

He walked outside the fitting room hallway and into the main store where Misty could see him. She was waiting expectantly, keeping a close eye on the end of the hallway. Ash came around the corner looking stunningly handsome, and Misty smiled joyfully. "It needs one last thing." Misty said walking up to Ash. She set Pikachu down gently on Ash's shoulder and stepped back. "Perfect, that's the Ash Ketchum I know and love." she said smiling.

"Thanks Mist, let's check out and head home." Ash said smiling back. He went back into the fitting room and retrieved the ugly outfit he had been forced to wear. Then he returned to Misty, and she purchased the new outfit. Once the check out was over with, Ash removed the tags from the clothing, and tossed them in the trash.

When Ash and Misty arrived at the gym, there was a message on the video phone. It was from Misty's sisters, saying they'd be home from their tour at about noon. Ash had already been to see his mom since he got home, and was planning on leaving for Isshu that day. "Man, I wish I could do to those three what they did to me, just leave and force them to handle the gym while I'm gone." Misty said, frustrated with her sisters.

"You can." Ash said. "How?" Misty asked. "Come with me to Isshu." Ash said. Misty's eyes grew wide. "Are you serious, I can come with you?" she said. Ash smiled and said "Of course, I wouldn't miss out on the chance to travel with you again for anything. Traveling with you back in the day was the greatest three years of my life." Misty shed a few tears and said "I'll gladly go to Isshu with you Ash I feel the same way." Ash smiled, and said "Great, we'll leave in half an hour." Misty nodded, and wrote a note for her sisters.

Half an hour later, Misty taped the note to the door of the gym and set off for Vermillion City with Ash. They arrived a few days later, and boarded a ship with Brock. The ship set off for Isshu shortly afterwards. As it sailed out of port, Ash and Misty stood at the very front of the boat, watching the sunrise hand in hand. Brock watched from behind, tears of joy in his eyes. "I'm so happy they're finally together…" Brock said. "Pi Pikachu" Pikachu said in a tone that suggested agreement. "Come on Pikachu, I'll go fix you a big bowl of food for dinner." Brock said, and the two walked off towards Brock's cabin.


End file.
